U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,023 discloses a system for fluorescence detection or fluorescence spectroscopy. The light coming from a sample is spectrally split in this case by means of a prism and directed onto a detector array.
German laid-open patent application DE 101 02 033 likewise discloses a scanning microscope for simultaneously detecting a number of spectral regions of a light beam. An element for spectral spreading is provided in the beam path of the light beam. A multichannel photomultiplier or a detector array is placed downstream of the element. In addition, there are focusing means that can be set for imaging the spread light beam onto the multichannel photomultiplier. The focusing means are arranged immediately upstream of the detector array.